Drawbar



Nov. 20, 1928.

J. R. BLACKHALL DRAWBAR 2 Sheets$heet m EI- Filed June 13, 1927 PatentedNov. 29, 1928.

UNITED STATES JOHN ROBERT BLACKHALL, OFJOLIET, ILLINOIS-Q DRAWIBAR.

A lication-filed June 13, 1927, Serial No. 19s,4'10.'

This invention relates to a drawbar construction and with regard tocertain more specific features, to nonremovable telescop- .ing drawbarsfor coupling vehicles.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofan improved telescoping drawbar construction, whereln means is providedfor preventing unauthorized removal; the provision of a drawbar of theclass described which is'norinally carried in a non-interfering positionon" the vehicle and which, whenin use as a coupling, provides all theflexibility had with previous formsof drawbars; the provision of adrawbar of the class described which is adaptedto reduce the shockusually attending the coupling of two vehicles and the provision of adevice of the class described which is rugged in construction, simple tooperate and economical in first cost and upkeep. Otherobjects will be inpart obvious-and-in part pointed out hereinafter. I I The inventionaccordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements,features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will beexemplified in the structure hereinafter described, and the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the following claims. p

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated one of variouspossible embodiments of the invention, I

Fig. 1 is'a side elevation of the drawbar construction, showing the barper se, inarecessed position; I .j a

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 showing also an alternate swiveledposition of said bar, certain attachment plates being removed;

Fig. 3 is a side elevationsimilar to Fig. 1.

but showing the drawbar sprung-forward;

F ig. 4 is fragmentary view of another drawbar head made according tothis invention, showing the drawba-r connected for coupling twovehicles; a

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken online 5 5 of Fig. 2; V

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, and shows theconstruction for mounting the drawbar on a vehicle;

(Fig. 7 is a plan. View of the drawbar per se; an. i

I Fig. 8 a side elevation of thedraw bar Q per se. p

Similar reference characters indicate cor-,

responding parts throughout the several viewsof the drawings.

Referring now more particularlyito Fig.

there are illustrated at numerals 1 and 3 a drawbar head and a drawbarbumping box respectively. This head 1 and the box 3 are connected bymeans of drawbar guides 5 said guides having channel shapes adapted toslidably receive thereb etween a drawbar 7 (see also Figs. 7'and 8) fThe head l and/box 3 are adapted to be bolted to attachment plates 9,said plates 9 being suspended from'the vehicle frame 11"- bymeansofsuitable channel and angle-iron constructions 13 (seealso Fi'g. 6).The positions of the head 1 and box 3 relative to one another isa matterof choice, depending upon the amount and position of the spacea'vailablebeneath the vehicle, such as a street railway car.- However, a positionapproximating a longitudinal one is preferable. v v Referring now totherearwar dly located box 3 (Figs. Ito 3), it may be seenthat itincludes a rearward wall 15 which carries a rearwardly extending pocket17. The pocket 17 p is removable and 'slidably carries a'pusher pin 19and also houses a spring The function of the spring 21 is to reactagainst the rear end 23 of the pocket 17 and against a washer 25(suitably held to the pin 19 by a locking pin 27,) so that the pin 19 isnormally pushediinto a forward position. The maximum forward positioningis adapted to set a forward head :28 on said pin 19 in'a forwardposition in the box 3. The proportions of the pocket 17 ,pin 19andspring 21 are such that,

when desired, the head 27 may be pushed rearwardly to a point where itengages the wall 15.

, Refe'rringnow to the. head 1, it will be seen that it comprises a topwall 29, abottomwall 31, side walls 33 and swing-limiting columns or,abutments 35; The top wall 29 extends forwardly a somewhat greaterdistance than the'bottom wall 31 andis provided with anarcuate stop'37.The stop 37 is adapted to be engaged by an upwardlyiturned lip 39 ontherear end of the drawbar 7, when said drawbar is pushed or pulledforward, thereby prevent-a.

ing complete removal of said drawbar. The columns 35 aid 1n preventingsald removal and limiting the swlng which the drawbar 7 can make. I

Above the forwardly extending portion 41 is fastened acasting-43 whichslidably carries a vertically positioned drawbar pin 45, which pin 45constitutes a locking means. The pin 45 has a thick lower portion whichin its normal down position cooperates with two holes 47 in the upperand lower walls 29 and V 81 respectively. The pin also has a reducedupper portion 49 carrying'a spring which reacts against an upper portionof the casting 4'3 and a collar 53 fastened to a portion of said reducedupper portion 49 for the purpose of normally holding vdown the pin 45.Tlle'c'oinplete pin is giiidedi'by the holes; 4'?" and an poses to bedescribed. It is evidentthat if the on; which it iiio outer end 61 ofthe cable 57 bepulld that the drawbar pin 45 will be temporarily raisedand if said oiiter end be released; that the pin 45 will automaticallyretiirn. The cable ma y be made aiiy length so that said may be placedin an accessible position. I

The drawliar' 7 per secoinprises heavy shank liavingforr'iied therein aforwardly located hole Gdztiid at rearwardly located hole 65, both holeses aria e5 being aaa ta are engaged by the drawbar pirl 45. The lengthof the drawbar 7 per is si'iclr when lip se'n ages the lietid 28 of thepiisher" pin 19 and is then partially ptished hacli so' that the 21 cornS'sed; their the drawbar in 45* may be dropped doi'xhehtii-d aheado'f'the" drawbai'as ill strated' in Figs; l'a'nd 2, or: said p'iitmaybedropped down through the forwardly located hole l Inerder to ceiple'as car, it is qrily' neces my to pan we came 57,,thereb3 para-ri the pin45 and permitting, the spring 21 to push the draw-ve r 7, per se,forward far enough for the operator to grasp the drawbar (Fig 3) andp'iill it oiit so that the lip 39 engag s the stop 37 (see alter irateposition X At or about the" time that said engageiii'ent takes place,the pin 45 automatically dreesginto the rear 11016 65 of the cir wbar.aiis't'heiieoupledt theearf' ed, ready for towing or pushirig. Fig.shims the limiting alternate angala'r 'posit idrtX 6f the draivbar, suchas it may assume whileiii (idiipled position,

In 4- is-Si em how the forward hole 63 of aidrawbar is coupled t afieaia draw bar head of the class herein described: In

springs forward some distance.

order to accomplish this coupling, the other pin 45 to be engaged by thehole 63 is pulled up, whereupon its corresponding drawbar drawbar 7 onthe other car (which has already been pulled out so as to have itsrearward hole (35 engaged by the pin 45) is engaged end to end with thesaid forwardly sprung drawbar. The vehicles are then brought togetherand the forwardly sprung Then the dr'aiwbar is pushed in by the drawbarwhich 7 is to function as a couplin until the coupling drawbar reachessuch a position thatthe pin 45 on theopposite car drops into the forwardhole/ 6 3 of said coupling di'awbari Itwilibe seen that the spring 21ftinctions toabsorb some of theshock. Thewa i5-=is also made strong;enough to withstand the shock, if thesprin 21 does 'notftake it all up.It is evident that t 1e engaging pin 45 for the outer h'ole fililinay beleft t djdrop iiito' place automatically under action of thespring 51 orma be engaged by man-any manipulatinfi the cable 57.

One of the advantages of the presentinventiori is that the springsel and21 prevent the drawba'r pin 49 and the clr'a-wbar' 7 from rattling" whenthe drawbar is telescoped posit-101i; r

In the present coupling practice; cars are equipped with drawb'ar' headsa straight removable; drawbar with holes each'end in recessed or whichis loosely hung on hooks under the body of the car between thet-ruckswhen the df'ra'whar is not in use..- It frequently happens that whencars are required to be coupled together that the drawbar'is missing,-it having been either misplaee'd'or stolen; The

manipiilate'the drawbar pin 45 by rneans of the cable'57withouttouching; saiclpi' n45,is

7 conducive' to safety;

In view (if the above, itwil'lbe seen that the several objects of the'inventieh are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying o-iit't'he'above constructionswithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatall matter contained iii'the' above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense. i

Iclaim: W is 1 =1. The drawhar eonst'ructieii for vehicles comprising guide'means located on a vehicle, drawbartele'scoping 'said'g'uid'emeans,- resilient means located rearwardly on said guide means adaptedto be engaged by the rear end of said drawbar, a movable pinlocatedforwardly on said guide means and means for automaticallyengaging said pin ,with 'forward and rearward holes in the drawbar whensaid holes'are suitably positioned bencath the pin. I

2. The drawbar construction for vehicles comprising guide means locatedon a vehicle, a drawbar telescoping said guide means, resilient'meanslocated rcarwardly on said guide means adapted to be engaged by the rearend of said drawbar, a movable pin located forwardly on said guidemeans, means for automatically engaging said pin with forward andrearward holes in the drawbar when said holes are suitably positionedbeneath the pin and means for manually disengaging said pin from saidholes without touching the pin, said automatic pin-en gaging means andsaid resilient means preventing rattling of the pin and drawbar when thedevice is telescoped shut.

3. Thedrawbar construction for vehicles comprising a guide on thevehicle telescoped by a drawbar, means for positively preventingcomplete removal of the drawbar from the guide when untelescoped, saidmeans permitting a swiveling of the drawbar, locking means associatedwith the guide adapted to lock the drawbar in telescoped position, andto lock the drawbar in pivotal connection when in untelescoped position,said locking means also being adapted to couple with the engaging end ofa drawbar of another vehicle.

4. The drawbar construction for vehicles comprising a guide on thevehicle telescoped by a drawbar, means for positively preventingcomplete removal of the'drawbar from the guide when untelescoped, saidmeans permitting a swiveling ot the drawbar, locking means associatedwith the guide adapted to lock the drawbar in telescoped position,andtolock the drawbar in pivotal connection when in untelescopedposition, said locking means also being adapted to couple with theengaging end of a drawbar of another vehicle and resilient meansassociated with said guide adapted to press the drawbar against thelocking means when telescoped andto automatically pushsaid drawbaroutwardly when the locking means is released.

5. The drawbar construction for vehicles comprising a guide on thevehicle telescoped by drawbar, means for locking the drawbar in apivotal manner when untelescoped and for locking it in telescopedposition, and resilient means. associated with said guide adapted topress the drawbar against the locking means when telescoped and toautomatically push said bar outwardly when the locking means isreleased.

3. The drawbar construction'for vehicles Comprising a guide on thevehicle telescoped by drawbar, means for locking the drawbar in apivotal manner when untelescoped and for locking it in telescopedposition, and resilient means associated with said guide adapted topress the drawbar against the locking means when telescoped and toautomatically push said bar outwardly when the locking means isreleased, said resilient means being adapted to absorb shock from thedraw bar whenflthe drawbar of another vehicle is coupled. r a

7. The drawbar construction for vehicles comprising a guide on thevehicle telescoped by drawbar, means for locking the drawbar in apivotal manner when untelescoped and for locking it in telescopedposition, and resilient means associated with said guide adapted topress the 'drawbar against the locking means when telescoped and toautomat-ically push said bar outwardly when the locking means isreleased, said resilient means being adapted to absorb shock from thedrawbar when the drawbar of another vehicle is coupled and meansassociated with the guide and the drawbar adapted to positively preventremoval of the drawbar when untelescoped and when said locking means isunlocked. I

.8. The drawbar construction for'vehicles comprising a guide on thevehicle telescoped by drawbar, means for locking the drawbar in apivotal manner when untelescoped and for locking it in telescopedposition, and re-' silient means associated with said guide adapted topress the drawbar against the locking means when telescoped and toautomatically push said bar outwardly when the locking means isreleased, said resilient means being adapted to absorb shock 'from thedrawbar when the drawbar of another vehicle is coupled and meansassociated with the guide and the drawbar adapted to positivelypreventremoval of the drawbar when untelescoped and when said lockingmeans is.

unlocked, said locking means being auto matically closable and adaptedto bemanually opened. I

9. The drawbar construction for vehicles I comprising guide meanslocated on a vehicle,

a drawbar telescoping said guide means, resil ient'means locatedrearwardly on said guide means adapted to be engaged by therear end ofsaid drawbar, a movable pin located forwardly on said guide means, meansfor automatically engaging said pin with forward and rearward holes inthe drawbar when said holes are suitably positioned beneath the pin,

means for manually disengaging said pin from said holes without touchingthe pin, said automatic pin-engaging means and said resilient meanspreventing rattling of the pin and drawbar when the device is telescopedshut and means for preventing complete detachment of the drawbar fromthe guide means when untelescoped and unpinned.

10. The drawbar Construction for vehicles comprising a forward head arearward box, and j oining members therebetween forming guide means, apocket formed rearwardly of said 'boX having resilient means projectingtherefrom and into said guide means, a drawbar adapted to telescope saidguide means having a rearward hole therein and a rear ward lip, the rarward portion of the drawbar being adapted to engage said resilientmeans, a forward hole in said drawbar, a pin loeated'in said headadapted to maintain the drawhar in teleseoped position against thereaction ofsaid resilient means and adapted to engage said rearwardhole, automatie means for maintaining said pin in its engaglngpositions, manual means for liftlng said pin and means located on saidforward head adapted to be engaged by said rear ward lip of the dravvharwhen the: drawbar is pulled forward sons to prevent completedisengagement.

June, 1927. V i v a V JOHN BOBERT'BLACKHALL L

